1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor integrated circuit processing, and more specifically to a method for fabricating oxide structures on a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Growth of thin oxides, such as used for the gates of field effect devices, is important to the functioning of such devices. The quality of the gate structure directly impacts device yields and reliability. The fact that the gate structure is so thin, typically on the order of 200.ANG. to 500.ANG., makes it a difficult structure to produce reliably. Thin grown oxide structures are also used elsewhere in semiconductor devices, such as for capacitor dielectric structures.
Important properties of thin gate oxides and other thin oxide structures include the number of defects in the structure, such as pinhole density. Pinhole density affects both device yields and reliability in the field. The electric field density required to break down the thin oxide structure is also important to the reliability of the device.
It would be desirable to provide a method for forming a gate oxide or other thin insulating layer which has improved physical and electrical properties over such structures as are heretofor available.